Combined merchandise display and advertising device



M y K. B. SHA'FFER 2,375,043

COMBINED MERCHANDISE DISPLAY AND ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Aug. 21, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3nnentor flennethlifilzq cr (Ittorneg May 1, 1945. K-. B. SHAFFER COMBINED MERCHANDISE DISPLAY AND ADVERTISING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21, 1943 (Ittorneg May 1,""1945.

' K. B'. SHAFFLER COMBINED MERCHANDISE DISPLAY AND ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Aug. 21, 1943 4 Sheets-Shet 3 i H 7- f 2 la a I A I H .4 i I 4 *WQ 3 r4433? u i n. 45

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COMBINED MERCHANDISE DISPLAY'AND ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Aug 21, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Gttorneg Patented May 1, 1945 UNITED STATES PATEN 'l mic:

COIWBIN ED MERCHANDISE DISPLAY AND ADVERTISING DEVICE of Delaware Application August 21, 1943, SerialNo. 499,577

13 Claims.

This invention relates to merchandising devices, and more particularly to a combined merchandise'display and advertising device, the principal object of my present invention beingto provide a device of this sort which is useful in the sale of merchandise by self service on the part of customers. I

More particularly, it is an object of my present invention to provide an improved combined merchandise display and advertising device as above set forth which requires a minimum of attention on the part of sales people or other attend-ants.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved combined merchandise display and advertisingdevice in which the merchandise can be-lcaded with great facility and. a in which the merchandise'can be displayed and its virtues or other characteristics extolled to greatest advantage.

A further object of my present invention is to' provide an improved combined merchandise display and advertising device which is calculated to arouse the interest of a prospective purchaser in the merchandise displayed thereby.

Still a further object of my present invention is to provide an improved combinedmerchandise display and advertising device which is particularly useful in the sale of phonograph records and which will avoid the playing of each new, fresh record, so that critical purchasers may be reasonably well assured of obtaining a record which was not played prior to the purchase thereof.

It is also an object of my present invention to provide an improved combined merchandise display and advertising device which is compact in construction, occupies a minimum of space,

is economical in cost, and which is highly efficient in use.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a cabinet .having a plurality of bins or other suitable receptacles which are exposed to view and in which the merchandise to be sold is received for display. Concealed within the cabinetare a plurality of discrete phonographs, each associated with a separate one of the aforementioned bins or receptacles. Each phonograph includes a normally stationary turntable which supports a record bearing recorded matter pertinent to the merchandise in the associated bin. Each phonograph also includes a telephone receiver unit or other suitable electroacoustical converter which is movably mounted in proximity to the associated bin, the telephone receivers all being exposed for manual grasping by a prosalso include one or more compartments for the storage of surplus merchandise.

Since the merchandise is on display in full view, it is apparent that a prospective purchaser "is free to take notice thereof merely by visual inspection. By taking hold of the telephone receiver associated with any particular bin and withdrawing it from its resting place on a suitable panel or the like, the associated phonograph is immediately set into operation to reproduce-the record carried thereby, and the cus tomer can listen to the recording merely by placing the receiver against the ear. Any suitable number of bins and phonographs may be em- 15 bodied in any one cabinet, and therefore a number of people can listen simultaneously to the several recordings, each to a different one, and without in any way interfering with or annoying any other customer. When a customer has listened to all or as much of the recording as he desires, he has merely to return the telephone receiver to its resting place on the paneLwhereupon the phonograph is automatically stopped and the pickup arm thereof is automatically returned to starting position in relation to its associated record for subsequent operation in the manner above described. I The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of one embodiment thereof, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front, perspective view of a combined merchandise display and advertising device constructed in accordance with my present invention,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof, with the rear panel removed, showing the several individual phonograph or sound reproducing units associated with the several bins seen in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of two adjacent ones of the phonographs shown in Fig.2, the two phonographs being shown in idle,

position, and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the upper phonograph about to begin playing, and the lower phonograph partly through playing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate in Fig. 1, a cabinet I having a base 3 and procorresponding parts throughout, there is shown,

vided with a plurality of front doors 5 behind which are arranged a plurality of storage compartments for surplus merchandise. The upper portion of the cabinet is formed with a plurality of stepped rows of adjacent bins or receptacles Tin which the merchandise 9 may be stored for display. For the sake of illustration, the merchandise 9 has been shown as phonograph records placed in suitable envelopes in conventional manner. A plurality of panels H are provided adjacent to the rows of bins 1 and may contain suitable printed matter |3, such as the title of the selection on each of the associated records,

. the names of recording artists, and the like. A

rear panel l5 at the top of the cabinet I may also contain suitable printed matter of interest in connection with the merchandise being displayed.

The rear portion of the cabinet is formed with one or more compartments Ia, lb and lo by partions I1 and I9 on which are mounted a plurality of phonographs 2|, preferably of the electric type, and all concealed within the cabinet I. The upper partition |1 carries a number of phonographs corresponding in number to the bins in the upper row shown in Fig. 1, and the lower partition l9 carries a number of phonographs corresponding to the number of bins in the lower row shown in Fig. 1.

Each of the phonographs 2| includes an electric motor 23 which drives a normally stationary turntable 25 in well known manner, the turntables 25 each supporting a phonograph record R bearing recorded matter which is pertinent to the merchandise in the associated bin. A switch 26 in circuit with the motor 23 controls energization thereof. Where phonograph records are being offered for sale and are therefore on display in the bins 9, the record R may, in each case, itself be one of the records of the associated bin 9. However, where other merchandise is on display, each of the records R will have recorded matter thereon which deals with the particular article of merchandise to which it applies.

Each of the phonographs also includes a pickup 2 arm 21 pivotally mounted for movement across the turntable 25 in well known manner and carrying an electrical pickup device having a needle 29 for coaction with the grooves of the record. A pivoted lever 3| controls the engagement of the needle29 with and the disengagement thereof from the associated record in each case in a manner about to be described.

Since each sound reproducing apparatus or phonograph and control mechanism therefor is of like construction, only one will be described from this point on, and it will be understood that the same description applies to all of the phonograph units. The lever 3| is pivotally carried by the arms 33 of the pivoted nut of a conventional toggle bolt 35 secured to the partition H or l9, as the case may be, and is arranged in each case to pivot in a vertical direction toward and away from the turntable 25. The lever 3| includes a forwardly extending portion 3|a which underlies the pickup arm 21 and is so arranged on the pivot 33 that ravity tends to lower its portion 3| a to the positions shown in Fig. 4. An adjustable bolt 36 limits clockwise rotation of the lever 3| (as viewed in the upper half of Fig. 4) to prevent engagement of its portion 3|a with the record. I

When the lever 3| is in this position, it is out of engagement with the pickup arm 21, and therefore the needle 29 is free to engage the groove of the record. Normally, however, the lever 3| is retained in an extreme counter-clockwise position by a mass 31 which is connected to the rear portion 3|b thereof by a flexible member 39, such as a chain or the like. In the latter position, the portion 3|b thereof is lowered and the portion 3 la thereof is elevated, as shown in Fig. 3. When rising to this position from the lower position shown in Fig. 4, the lever portion 3 a raises 7 the pickup arm 21 from the record and, by virtue of its inclination downwardly away from the turntable, causes the arm 21 to slide down into engagement with a stop member 4| which is carried by the lever 3| and which stops the pickup over the starting groove of the record in readiness for the next playing. At the same time, the lever portion 3|b engages a'vertically movable plunger 43 to depress the same against the lower, spring blade of the switch 26 whereby to open the switch and de-energize the motor 23, thereby bringing the turntable 25 to a stop.

Each phonograph includes an audio amplifier 45 to which the output from the pickup may be 'fed in any suitable manner, and the output of each amplifier is connected through a flexible cable 41 to a suitable signal translating device in the form of an electro-acoustical converter, such as a telephone receiver or ear piece 49. The cable 41 may be tied to the eye 35a of the bolt 35 by a knot 41a, and is trained around a pulley 5| connected to the mass or weight 31. Each cable 4! passes through an opening 53 in one of the panels II in proximity to the associated bin 1. The telephone receiver units or converters 49 normally rest on the panels over the openings 53 as a result of the pull exerted on the cables 41 by the suspended weights 31, as clearly seen from Fig. 2.

As mentioned heretofore, a prospective customer passing by the cabinet I is first attracted visually thereto by the merchandise display in the bins 1. With his interest aroused either by the display itself or by an invitation on the panel |5, for example, he or she may take hold of any one of the telephone receivers 49 and raise it away from the panel I to bring it up against the ear. This action raises the associated mass 31 which, being of greater weight than the combined weight of the lever 3| and the pickup arm 21, normall holds the flexible member 39 taut and therefore retains the lever 3| in the position shown in Fig. 3. However, when the mass 31 is raised as above described, the chain or other flexible member 39 becomes slack, and gravity, acting upon the lever 3|, causes it to drop to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby lowering the needle 29 onto the record. At the same time, the lever portion 3|b is raised away from the upper end of the plunger 43, wherefore the switch 26 is' closed, to energize the motor 23. This is so timed that the turntable will commence rotation just before the needle 29 lands on the record. The amplifier 45 is constantly maintained energized, and therefore the recorded subject matter on the record is immediately heard by the listener through the telephone receiver 49.

When the operator has listened to as much of the recorded matter as he or she may care to, the telephone receiver 49 is returned to its rest position on the appropriate panel II. Thereupon, the slack in the chain 39 is taken up by the mass 31 which drops in response to gravity and the dropping mass rotates the lever 3| to lower the end portion 3|b thereof and to raise the portion 3| 11 thereof to the position shown in Fig. 3. The rising lever portion 3|a engages the pickup arm 21, raises it from the record, and causes it to slide back against the stop 4|. At the same time, the dropping lever portion 3lb engages and depresses the plunger 43 to openthe switch 26 and de-energize the motor. The operator or listener, after having replaced the telephone receiver 49, may then remove the merchandise from the appropriate bin 1 and present it to a clerk for payment, wrapping and such other appropriate service as is customary in self-service enterprises.

Although I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention. it will undoubtedly be apparent to those skilledin the art that many other modifications thereof, as well as changes in the particular one described, are possible. I therefore desire that my invention shall not be limited except insofar as is made necessary by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims. I

I claim as my invention:

1. In a combined merchandise display and advertising device, the combination of a, cabinet including a receptacle for the reception and display of the merchandise, sound reproducing apparatus carried by said cabinet in association with said receptacle and adapted to reproduce recorded matter pertinent to said merchandise, said apparatus including a movable translating device, and control means operable in response to movement of said translating device for rendering said phonograph operable to reproduce said recorded matter.

2. In a, combined merchandise display andadvertising device, the combination of a cabinet ineluding a receptacle for the reception and display of the merchandise, sound reproducing apparatus carried by said cabinet in association with said receptacle and adapted to reproduce recorded matter pertinent to said merchandise, said apparatus including a movable translating device in proximity to said receptacle, and control means operable in response to movement of said translating device for rendering said phonograph operable to reproduce said recorded matter.

3. In a combined merchandise display and advertising device, the combination of a cabinet including a receptacle exposed to view and adapted to receive the merchandise for display therein, sound reproducing apparatus carried by said cabinet in association with said receptacle and adapted to reproduce recorded matter pertinent to said merchandise, said apparatus including mechanism concealed within said cabinet, a translating device movably mounted on said cabinet and exposed to view for manual grasping and movement by an operator, and control means operable in response to such movement of said translating device for rendering said concealed mechanism operable to reproduce said recorded matter.

4. In a combined merchandise display and advertising device, the combination of a cabinet including a receptacle exposed to view and adapted to receive the merchandise for display therein, sound reproducing apparatus carried by said cabinet in association with said receptacle and adapted to reproduce recorded matter pertinent to said merchandise, said apparatus including mechanism concealed within said cabinet, a translating device movably mounted on said cabinet in proximity to said receptacle and exposed to view for manual grasping and movement by an operator, and control means operable in response to such movement of said translating de-' vice for rendering said concealed mechanism operable to reproduce said recorded matter.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 characterized in that said cabinet includes a panel adjacent to said receptacle, and characterized further in that said translating device normally rests on and is mounted for movement relative to said panel in a predetermined manner to effect operation of said control means.

6. The invention set forth in claim 4 characterized in that said translating'devicc comprises a telephone receiver adapted to be placed against the ear of the operator, characterized further in that said cabinet includes a panel adjacent to said receptacle, and characterized still further in that said telephone receiver normally rests on and is mounted for movement away from said panel toward the operators ear to effect operation of said control means.

7. In a combined merchandise display and advertising device, the combination of a cabinet including a receptacle exposed to view and adapted to receive the merchandise for display therein, sound reproducing apparatus carried by said cabinet in association with said receptacle and adapted to reproduce recorded matter pertinent to said merchandise, said apparatus including mechanism concealed within said cabinet, and a translating device movably mounted on said cabinet in proximity to said receptacle, said translating device being exposed to view for manual grasping and movement by an operator, and gravity responsive means associated with said translating device and operable in response to movement. of said translating device to control operation of said concealed mechanism to reproduce said recorded matter. I

8. The 'invention'set forth in claim 7 characterized in that said concealed mechanism includes a phonograph turntable for supporting a record bearing said recorded matter, a pickup arm mounted for movement over said turntable, and a pickup arm control lever mounted for'pivotal movement toward and away from said turntable,

said lever having a portion which underlies said pickup arm and normally occupies an elevated position inclined downwardly away from said turntable in which said lever holds said arm above said record in predetermined relation to the starting point thereof, said lever being arranged to be lowered by gravity to a lower position in which it is out of engagement with said arm whereby said arm is rendered free to cooperate with said record, and characterized further in that said gravity responsive means is operable in response to movement of said translating device to effect raising and lowering of said lever-to one or the other of its said positions.

9. The invention set forth in claim '7 characterized in that said concealed mechanism in-.

cludes a phonograph turntable for supporting a record bearing said recorded matter, a pickup arm mounted for movement over said turntable. and a pickup arm control lever mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from said turntable, said lever having a portion which underlies said pickup arm and normally occupies an operate with said record, and characterized further in that said gravity responsive means comprises a mass and a flexible member connecting said lever to said mass, said mass having sufficient weight to overbalance the combined weight of said lever and said pickup arm when said flexible member is taut and said mass is suspended therefrom whereby to maintain said lever in its said elevated position, and a coupling between said translating device and said mass for raising said mass upon movement of said translating device whereby to slacken said flexible member and thereby free said lever to move to its said lower position.

10. The invention set forth in claim 7 char.- acterized in that said concealed mechanism includes a phonograph turntable for supporting a record bearing said recorded matter, an electric motor having driving connection with said tumtable, a switch in circuit with said motor, a pickup arm mounted for movement over said turntable, and a control lever mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from said turntable, said lever having one portion cooperating with said switch and a second portion which underlies and cooperates with said pickup arm, characterized further in that said gravity responsive means includes means connected to said lever and normally holding said lever in a first position such that its said one portion maintains said switch open whereby said motor is de-energized and its said second portion occupies an elevated position above and inclined downwardly away from said turntable whereby said second portion then holds said pickup arm above said record in predetermined relation to the starting point thereof, and characterized still further by the inclusion of means coupling said holding means to said translating device effective, when said device is moved by the operator in a predetermined manner, to render said holding means ineife'ctive to hold said lever in its said first position Whereby said lever is rendered free to move by gravity to a second position in which said one lever portion permits closing of said switch and energization of said motor to drive said turntable and said second lever portion is removed from engagement with said pickup arm to permit said arm to cooperate with said record.

11. In a combined merchandise display and advertising device, the combination of means providing a plurality of receptacles each for the reception of merchandise distinguishable from the merchandise in any other said receptacles, a separate phonograph associated with each of said receptacles, each of said phonographs including a reproducible record bearing recorded matter pertinent only to the merchandise in its associated receptacle and a signal converter, said converters being each movably mounted in proximity to their respectively associated receptacles, and means responsive to movement of any one of said converters in a predetermined manner for rendering the associated phonograph operative to reproduce the record thereon through the associated converter.

12. In a combined merchandise display and advertising device, the combination of means providing a plurality of receptacles each for the reception of merchandise distinguishable from the merchandise in any other of saidreceptacles,

said receptacles being exposed to View, a separate phonograph associated with each of said receptacles, each of said phonographs bein concealed from view and including a reproducible record bearing recorded matter pertinent only to the merchandise in its associated receptacle and a signal converter, said converters being each movably mounted in proximity to their respectively associated receptacles and being also exposed to view, and means responsive to movement of any one of said converters in a predetermined manner for rendering the associated phonograph operative to reproduce the record thereon through the associated converter.

' 13. The invention set forth in claim 11 characterized in that each of said converters comprises a telephone receiver.

KENNETH B. SHAFFER. 

